Self Storage In LA: Who Can Benefit From The Service Locally?

The second-largest city in the U.S., Los Angeles is home to over four million people and is the center of the entertainment industry. Besides the exciting career opportunities for artists and more, LA’s sunny skies and charming Mediterranean-style weather are also part of the local charm. Whether you’ve lived your entire life in LA or you’ve just moved here, finding the right balance between a spacious home and living close to work in a city as spread-out as LA can be a challenge. This is where self storage can step in to assist when your LA home simply can’t hold all your belongings. Renting a self storage unit in Los Angeles, CA costs, on average, $256/month.

Self storage is a great service if you’re an LA resident, but it can also help businesses and other public entities. Let’s take a look at who can benefit from the service in LA:

1. Residents

Here is how self storage can help if you’re a resident of the City of Angels:

• Apartment dwellers

As renting – and by extension, apartment living (56% of units) – is prevalent in LA based on Census Reporter data, you’re likely enjoying less living space than a single family owner. To make the most of your LA apartment, it’s easier to place seasonal and bulky items in storage until you’re ready to use them again. This frees up your apartment space so that you can better enjoy your living space.

Moreover, if you’re a renter and a multi-car owner, keeping your second car away from exposure to the elements can be challenging. When you’re not using your second car, you can put it in a storage unit. That seems to be a common practice among EV owners, and with LA emerging as one of top metros for electric cars in the U.S., many EV owners can derive benefits from the service. Most often, EVs are used for trips inside the city, while the gas car is useful for out-of-town trips. One of the cars can sit in storage when it isn’t used.

• Homeowners

If you’re a homeowner in LA, self storage can help beyond its well-established role in moving. You can use it to store furniture, clothing, appliances and seasonal items to keep a breezy and organized home. Moreover, if you ever take up a home remodeling project, a storage unit can house the contents of the area under construction to avoid cluttering your home. Most projects can take up several weeks to months, so keeping those belongings away from home for the duration of the project can be a real boon. Growing your family and creating a new bedroom for your bundle of joy can also be a time when you need to assess your belongings. While some things can stay inside your house, others can find a temporary home inside a storage unit.

Aerial top view of residential subdivision house in Diamond Bar, Eastern Los Angeles, California

2. College students

LA proper is home to four public universities, including California State University, Los Angeles, California State University, Northridge and University of California, Los Angeles. Additionally, there are numerous private colleges and community colleges, with the American Film Conservatory, Alliant International University, Woodbury University and Los Angeles City College, to name a few.

Students attending college here can also turn to self storage to help better manage their living space, with dorm or apartment living allowing for limited possessions. They can keep their bulky and seasonal items inside a storage unit until they can use them again. Additionally, instead of moving everything at the end of the school year, they can put their belongings in a storage unit until the new term resumes in the fall. This can save them a potentially costly and logistically challenging move.

3. Corporate businesses

Beside international trade and entertainment, LA’s economy also runs on finance, tech and telecommunications. It is home to three Fortune 500 companies, including AECOM, CBRE Group and Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. Plenty of other companies are headquartered, with The Aerospace Corporation, California Pizza Kitchen, Deluxe Entertainment Services Groups, Hulu, Panda Express, SpaceX on the list.

Corporate businesses can also take advantage of self storage to better manage their operations. Additional office furniture and supplies can sit in storage until they can be used again. Additionally, paper records can be kept in a climate-controlled unit in Los Angeles to comply with legal requirements of record keeping.

Downtown cityscape Los Angeles, California

4. LA port-related business

Located about 20 miles away from downtown LA, the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach form together the Los Angeles/Long Beach Harbor, the fifth busiest container port in the world and the busiest container port in the US. Additionally, it is also the largest cruise ship center on the West Coast.

Thanks to the large traffic it enjoys, the port can also benefit from self storage. Some merchandise can sit in a storage unit nearby before leaving the port, helping businesses that handle it better manage their day-to-day operations.

5. Construction businesses

With LA emerging as one of the hottest markets for construction across the real estate spectrum in the past decade, construction businesses helped to support this growing demand. Close to 195K permits for multi-family alone were issued for this time period.

To make construction easier, companies managing these kinds of projects can put construction materials and tools in storage units close to the construction site to avoid their daily transportation. This way, their day-to-day workflow can be vastly improved.

6. The entertainment industry

Often touted the “Creative Capital of the World”, with a lot of its population working in a creative industry, LA is home to more writers, filmmakers, actors, musicians and dancers than any other city. Hollywood – the center of the motion picture industry – and Paramount Picture are both iconic for LA. The city is also where the USC School of Cinematic Arts is located, the oldest film school in the country.

Whether it’s movie sets, props, costumes and more, the entertainment industry in LA can also benefit from self storage. These items can sit in storage when they’re not in use to protect them. This is especially useful as a climate-controlled unit can help preserve their quality in the hot LA climate.

7. Museums and art galleries

LA’s culture extends well beyond the entertainment industry, with the area boasting over 100 museums and art galleries. Some establishments include the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Getty Center, the Petersen Automotive Museum and others.

Traveler photographing city road on Hollywood Boulevard near the Wax Museum, Los Angeles, CA

With such a plethora of institutions dedicated to the arts, items that aren’t on display also need a home. While museums and art galleries have their own storage areas, turning to self storage can better help them manage their exhibits. Climate-controlled units can offer the ideal temperature and humidity settings needed for the preservation of frail and sensitive items.

8. Sports teams

Sports play a big part in the local identity, with the metro area boasting no less than 11 professional sports teams. The Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Angels – (Major League Baseball) – the Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers (football), Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers (basketball), Los Angeles Kings, Los Angeles Ducks (hockey) and more.

Sports teams can also use self storage outside of their regular season. They can turn to the service to keep uniforms and other game-related paraphernalia in a storage unit until they can be used again. Climate-controlled units are especially useful in this case as they ensure clothing and other heat and humidity-sensitive items preserve their properties.